This is a continuation of my RTW diary from November 2003.
Another side to the Silk Market that made it fun apart from the browsing was the chat with the stall holders.
I could easily have turned a profit myself as I was offered sums for everything from my boots to my Mandarin phrasebook.
Every low bid for a good was met with the response that I was “killing” the stallholder. This phrase accompanied with acted methods of death… the slit throat; the self-throttle! Then a quick giggle and back to the negotiation.
When I was finally buttoned into my jacket. I was also questioned by every other stall holder selling the same jacket about how much I’d paid for it. 2 Yuan I said (15p). They would chuckle and tell me I was robbed!
One woman was particularly interested in my phrasebook, telling me she needed it more than I did as she had to improve her English but I as a tourist could just point at whatever I wanted as noone expected me to speak Mandarin. Also, the phrasebook couldn't help me as everyone knows foreigners are too stupid to learn Chinese. The direct approach. She asked me how much she could pay me for the book. I looked at the price I'd paid and converted it into Yuan.
"65 Yuan" I said.
"Fuck off!" She replied.
The Lonely Planet guidebook has a page on Mandarin swearwords which I had been reading the night before. It says very clearly at the top "You shouldn't expect to use this language without repercussions. Keep quiet if you hear this language and move away". Ignoring the advice I thought to myself... Well if she can swear at me then I can swear back.
"cào ni" I replied after a flick through the book. (Fuck you).
The pause while she rearranged her face into a look of pure shock and horror told me I'd managed the tones right this time. I remember having just enough time to assess that I probably shouldn;t have said it... Then she burst out raucously laughing. And I am talking a Sid James smoking 100 woodbines a day and living in a really polluted city kind of a laugh. Then she gathered traders around from other stalls.
"Come and hear the foreigner swear" she must have said and I was prompted to repeat the phrase for everyone. Then the book was swept out of my hands and they all consulted the page of swear words. Being an LP phrasebook it has all the words written in Mandarin script too. I have no idea whether it was accurate, inaccurate or what. All I know is the traders found it to be hilarious stuff.
Another side to the Silk Market that made it fun apart from the browsing was the chat with the stall holders.
I could easily have turned a profit myself as I was offered sums for everything from my boots to my Mandarin phrasebook.
Every low bid for a good was met with the response that I was “killing” the stallholder. This phrase accompanied with acted methods of death… the slit throat; the self-throttle! Then a quick giggle and back to the negotiation.
When I was finally buttoned into my jacket. I was also questioned by every other stall holder selling the same jacket about how much I’d paid for it. 2 Yuan I said (15p). They would chuckle and tell me I was robbed!
One woman was particularly interested in my phrasebook, telling me she needed it more than I did as she had to improve her English but I as a tourist could just point at whatever I wanted as noone expected me to speak Mandarin. Also, the phrasebook couldn't help me as everyone knows foreigners are too stupid to learn Chinese. The direct approach. She asked me how much she could pay me for the book. I looked at the price I'd paid and converted it into Yuan.
"65 Yuan" I said.
"Fuck off!" She replied.
The Lonely Planet guidebook has a page on Mandarin swearwords which I had been reading the night before. It says very clearly at the top "You shouldn't expect to use this language without repercussions. Keep quiet if you hear this language and move away". Ignoring the advice I thought to myself... Well if she can swear at me then I can swear back.
"cào ni" I replied after a flick through the book. (Fuck you).
The pause while she rearranged her face into a look of pure shock and horror told me I'd managed the tones right this time. I remember having just enough time to assess that I probably shouldn;t have said it... Then she burst out raucously laughing. And I am talking a Sid James smoking 100 woodbines a day and living in a really polluted city kind of a laugh. Then she gathered traders around from other stalls.
"Come and hear the foreigner swear" she must have said and I was prompted to repeat the phrase for everyone. Then the book was swept out of my hands and they all consulted the page of swear words. Being an LP phrasebook it has all the words written in Mandarin script too. I have no idea whether it was accurate, inaccurate or what. All I know is the traders found it to be hilarious stuff.
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